On the band's songwriting process, he added: "They usually start before me, just getting some rough ideas together and then putting rough ideas down on ProTools with no lyrics and no melody. And then I start listening to it and see if it's just a straight-ahead rock 'n' roll record or if it's more of a concept album like (2001's) Shangri-La Dee Da was. Once we decide that, it should go full speed ahead."